Electronic mail (e-mail) systems are well known. In such systems, computers are interconnected by a network which allows users at each computer to send messages to each other.
In conventional e-mail systems, users must directly access their e-mail accounts to retrieve e-mail messages, or to determine if any new messages have been received. This typically requires users to log onto computers serviced by the e-mail system. This arrangement is inconvenient for mobile users who are often without access to computers connected to the e-mail service. Further, with conventional e-mail, users are not notified of messages until they actually log into the e-mail system. This latter disadvantage frequently causes users who are away from their computers to miss urgent e-mail messages or receive them in an untimely manner.
To facilitate timely and convenient notification of incoming e-mail messages, an e-mail system can operate in conjunction with a notification system. A notification system is a computer-based communication system that can transfer messages to a subscriber, notifying him/her of particular events, such as the receipt of new e-mail messages. Typically, a notification system can be configured to transfer messages to a subscriber over one or more preselected communications channels. For example, known notification systems can transmit notification messages to subscribers via fax, voice mail, pagers, the Internet, cellular phones, conventional telephones, and the like. Such notification systems can be configured to deliver messages over any or all of the available communication channels, depending on the preferences of respective subscribers.
When used in conjunction with an e-mail service, a notification service provides a messaging system that quickly and conveniently notifies subscribers of received e-mail messages without requiring the subscribers to remain at their computers. Upon receiving notification, subscribers can access the e-mail system at their discretion to review any new e-mail messages.
As is true with any communications system, subscribers receive messages of varying importance. In e-mail systems, subscribers frequently prefer to screen messages according to their importance. Unfortunately, current e-mail notification systems do not provide convenient subscriber interfaces for pre-setting notification priorities of incoming e-mail. Moreover, unsolicited e-mail messages, also known as “junk e-mail” and “SPAM” are becoming more common place. This can be problematic for notification service subscribers, who cannot easily configure the messaging service to block notification of unwanted e-mail messages. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved messaging system that permits subscribers to conveniently select notification priority for incoming e-mail messages.